Trafficking in Persons Interim Assessment - Russia

United States Department of State, Trafficking in Persons Interim Assessment - Russia, 24 February 2010, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/4b8e7a6c23.html [accessed 1 April 2015]

Disclaimer

This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

[From the introductory text accompanying this report on the U.S. Department of State website: "In most cases, the Interim Assessment is intended to serve as a tool by which to gauge the anti-trafficking progress of countries that may be in danger of slipping a tier in the upcoming June 2010 TIP Report and to give them guidance on how to avoid a Tier 3 ranking. It is a tightly focused progress report, assessing the concrete actions a government has taken to address the key deficiencies highlighted in the June 2009 TIP Report. The Interim Assessment covers actions undertaken between the beginning of May – the cutoff for data covered in the June TIP Report – and November. Readers are requested to refer to the annual TIP Report for an analysis of large-scale efforts and a description of the trafficking problem in each particular country or territory."]

The Government of Russia has demonstrated negligible progress in addressing human trafficking problems since the release of the 2009 TIP Report. The government did not work to develop a comprehensive strategy that addresses all forms of trafficking and provide comprehensive victim assistance, nor did it establish a national level coordinating body for trafficking. The government also did not allocate funding to anti-trafficking NGOs that provide victim assistance and rehabilitative care; in November 2009, the government failed to prevent the closure of the IOM-run shelter and rehabilitation center in Moscow. In a step that may lead to improved efforts to prevent child trafficking, the government in September created the position of Ombudsman for Children's Rights, which answers to the president. The ombudsman's mandate currently does not include specific anti-human trafficking responsibilities, but it does include providing expertise on a range of matters related to the protection of children in Russia and working with organizations in Russia that deal with children's rights. Two NGO-run shelters were provided with facility space by local governments in central Russia and the Russian far east.

The government reported an increase in the number of sex trafficking investigations conducted during the assessment period although fully comprehensive data was not available. Moreover, attention to the serious problem of forced labor continues to lag. The government did not demonstrate efforts to create a central repository for comprehensive trafficking data, including trafficking prosecutions, convictions, and penalties prescribed for convicted traffickers. Although the government publically acknowledges that human trafficking is a serious problem, Russia did not conduct a campaign to raise awareness about human trafficking. The government conducted an interagency review and determined it will not sponsor an anti-trafficking awareness campaign in the Sochi region in advance of the 2014 Winter Olympics.